The Joy of Connection:
Nourishing Health, Relationships & Well-Being

Dr. Sabrina A. Falquier, MD, CCMS, DipABLM (pronounced Fall-Key-Ay) is triple board-certified in Internal Medicine, Culinary Medicine, and Lifestyle Medicine. Born and raised in Mexico City to Swiss and American parents, she is bilingual in Spanish and English and brings a rich multicultural perspective to her work at the intersection of food, culture, and vibrant health.  After more than 15 years in primary care, Dr. Falquier founded Sensations Salud® to help individuals reconnect with food as a powerful tool for prevention, longevity, and joy. Through Culinary Medicine, she translates the science of nutrition into practical, flavorful strategies grounded in evidence and cultural tradition. She teaches at both the university and community levels and consults with leading integrative health organizations.  Dr. Falquier also hosts two podcasts—Culinary Medicine Recipe and Medicina Culinaria. An award-winning contributor to Edible San Diego, she has been interviewed by multiple media outlets on the role of food in prevention and wellness and is featured in the documentary The Kitchenistas. Her work reflects a deep commitment to connection, nourishment, and whole-person health.

Dr. Philippe R. Montgrain, MD, is a Professor of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep Medicine, and Physiology at UC San Diego and the VA San Diego Healthcare System. Throughout his career, he has cared for patients with a wide range of respiratory and sleep disorders while leading research and educational initiatives that advance the science of sleep and lung health.  At Rancho La Puerta, Dr. Montgrain invites guests to explore how sleep influences nearly every aspect of health—from energy and mood to resilience and relationships. Through practical, evidence-based strategies, he helps guests better understand common sleep challenges, healthy sleep habits, and how partners can support one another in creating more restorative nights.  Dr. Montgrain has received numerous honors for his contributions to medicine, education, and community service. He believes that better sleep is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and the people we love.

Dr. Basma Faris is a Board Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist and Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist who is dedicated to helping women find balance and vitality through the powerful connection between nutrition and health. Her journey in wellness began at the University of California at Berkeley, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Sciences, followed by a Master’s of Science in Nutrition and a Registered Dietetics Internship at Brooklyn College. After receiving her medical degree from the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 2009, she completed her residency at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she refined her expertise in women’s well-being.  With a distinguished background as a Registered Dietitian, Dr. Faris finds joy in educating others on how to integrate nourishing practices into daily life. Her work lives at the heart of connection—bridging the science of gynecology with the art of culinary medicine to support patients through the complexities of hormonal health and midlife. As the owner of a specialized telehealth practice and co-host of the annual Love & Nourish retreat in Morocco, she creates dedicated spaces for women to reconnect with themselves and their health in meaningful, evidence-based ways.  Currently, Dr. Faris serves as an Assistant Professor in Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Science within the Mount Sinai Health System in New York. Her role as a laborist allows her to support women during some of their most transformative moments of connection.  A Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Faris also shares her expertise on the Advisory Boards of the American College of Culinary Medicine and the PCOS Awareness Association. She is honored to join the Rancho La Puerta community for “The Joy of Being Connected,” where she looks forward to exploring the pathways to holistic well-being and nourished relationships with you.

Leah Sarris, MBA, RD, LDN, CCMS, is a chef, registered dietitian, and educator who co-founded the first teaching kitchen inside a U.S. medical school and helped develop a curriculum now used by more than 60 academic and healthcare institutions nationwide. As founding director of the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine at Tulane University School of Medicine, she co-created the Health meets Foodcurriculum and helped establish culinary medicine as a field in its own right. Her experience has spanned running a start-up nonprofit culinary school, teaching culinary arts in higher education, research and development (R&D) for national food brands, and education and communication strategy consulting—a range that informs her work building programs that work in the classroom, the kitchen, and the boardroom alike.  Today, through Culinary Medicine Consulting, Leah partners with healthcare systems, universities, and food and agriculture organizations to design and implement Food is Medicine programs—from curriculum development and implementation strategy to teaching kitchen design and staff and faculty training. Her focus is practical: building programs that are grounded in evidence, sustainable, and designed to work long after launch.

Jennifer Gunsaullus, PhD, is a sociologist, relationship coach, international speaker, retreat facilitator, author, and the Founder of The Center for Courageous Intimacy. She specializes in effective communication, emotional awareness, vulnerability, meaningful human connection, mindful intimacy, and sexual passion. Dr. Jenn has presented two TEDx Talks, co-hosted a popular podcast, garnered more than 1.8 million views on her YouTube educational series, and is the author of From Madness to Mindfulness: Reinventing Sex for Women. With over three decades of speaking and facilitation experience, she has positively impacted hundreds of thousands of people worldwide with her powerful insights and practical tools.  Dr. Jenn has partnered on projects with organizations ranging from the Global YPO Spouse/Partner Network to Planned Parenthood and was the technical editor for Dr. Ruth’s Sex for Dummies 4^th Edition. Her thought leadership has been featured in outlets such as Forbes, CNBC, USA Today, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, The Sunday Times (London), Oprah Daily, Men’s Health, Women’s Health, and Playboy. She has delivered talks for more than 40 chapters of YPO, a prestigious global leadership community of chief executives, across the U.S. and Europe, and is also a YPO Certified Forum Facilitator. More information: https://www.courageous-intimacy.com

As a leadership coach, Julie Fotos helps individuals and teams expand their range to access their full potential and reap the resulting benefits. Like a trainer at a gym, Julie helps clients both discover and strengthen underdeveloped muscles, while relieving over-developed ones. Julie has extensive experience working with clients in identifying and “unlearning” their own self-imposed beliefs, allowing them to create healthier work environments, improve their communication effectiveness, develop as leaders and manage through change. As Rancho La Puerta’s Inner Fitness coach for several years, Julie has brought her unique blend of humor and pragmatism to help guests on their own journeys. Julie lives primarily in New York City, with frequent escapes to her serene Catskills lake house.